Procol Harum

Beyond
the Pale

Robin Trower's amp sells at eBay

A snip at 3,100 US dollars

This amp head, signed by Robin Trower, was sold on eBay in June 2004 for 3,100 dollars (over 1,770 GBP). The buyer was 'provided with a letter signed by Robin Trower certifying that he used the amp onstage during one or more tours'. Below the pictures we reproduce the bidding history for those who are interested in the psychology and practices of auctionising. Typically a second-hand head of this kind might go for a quarter of that price, in good condition.

Anorakademics will know that the 'JCM' is the initials of Jim Marshall himself; BtP has wondered from time to time whether this was modeled on the precedent of JC Bamford whose digging-machines now bear his initials as a generic name. The '800' reflects not the decade that this workhorse was introduced (first issued 1981) but in fact the registration plate of one of Marshall's vehicles at the time. This is a famously warm no-frills all-valve ('tube') amp: it's said that the US and UK models of this amp have a different sound – there is also a combo version which is still sought-after. (Don't forget to check out 'Readers' Amps' at the Marshall website)

Here Robin Trower is shown in the very act: and it's not an easy surface to write on.

This is how the bidding went for this prime piece of Trowerabilia: just three bidders ...